Many organizations use one or more computer networks to communicate and share data between the various computers connected to the networks. On-premise computing devices of the organization may communicate through a local area network (LAN). If the organization has a significant amount of data to store, the organization may use a storage area network (SAN) to store data outside of the local area network. A SAN is a dedicated network that provides access to consolidated, block level data storage. A SAN typically has its own network of storage devices that are generally not accessible through the organization's LAN. A SAN can be located locally on the premise of the organization's network. However, the SAN is more commonly located at a remote site, such as a data center where multiple organizations can store their organization's data.
Each organization can transfer data from their on-premise devices to the SANs through existing communication channels, which can be used by multiple organizations simultaneously. The SAN keeps data from different organizations separate and prevents unauthorized users from accessing the data. The SANs can provide a significant cost reduction to users by reducing or eliminating the costs associated with storing data at on-premise devices.